The Week 12 RB injury report is relatively light for fantasy football managers, but there are still some big names at risk of not playing this week. Let’s examine the latest status for Josh Jacobs, Leonard Fournette, Raheem Mostert, Joe Mixon, and others.
RB Injury Report Heading Into Week 12
Josh Jacobs, LV | Calf (Active)
Update: Josh Jacobs is active for Week 12.
It’s never good when a player pops up on the injury report late, and that was the case with Jacobs in Week 12. Jacobs was listed as limited with a calf issue on Friday and now enters the weekend as questionable.
It’s tough to know at this stage what the situation may look like with Jacobs on Sunday, and this being a late-afternoon kickoff makes this even more complicated. Sunday morning saw ESPN’s Adam Schefter report that, barring a setback in pre-game warmups, Jacobs is expected to be active for Week 12.
If Jacobs is active, it will be hard to sit him. However, we’ll need more information on the injury to know for sure how limited he could be. If Jacobs is out, then Zamir White could serve as the lead back, with the support of Brandon Bolden. White could be an intriguing 12-team Flex option but will be better set in 14-team formats.
Leonard Fournette, TB | Hip (Out)
For much of the week, it appeared as though Fournette was trending toward playing. Being limited in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice on all three days, the hope was he would at least be questionable entering the weekend. However, that is not the case, and Fournette is listed as doubtful on the Buccaneers’ final injury report for Week 12.
MORE: Rachaad White Ready To Break Out in Week 12
Rarely does a player listed as doubtful on a Friday end up playing on Sunday. It was hardly a surprise then to see Leonard Fournette ruled out by the Buccaneers on Saturday. Therefore, Rachaad White should be expected to handle the bulk of the backfield work. We will likely see Ke’Shawn Vaughn mixing in, plus Giovani Bernard is set to return from the IR this week.
Gus Edwards, BAL | Hamstring (Active)
Update: Gus Edwards is active for Week 12.
Despite being a full participant in the final two days of practice this week, Gus Edwards is listed as questionable on the Baltimore Ravens’ final injury report. After practice, head coach John Harbaugh said he was “optimistic” again this week before adding, “as I was last week.” That last bit is a little concerning because Edwards ended up not playing last week.
Harbaugh finished by stating he was “hopeful” that Edwards could play. Normally, a player who is a full participant for one or two days of practice without a setback would be a lock to play.
But we’ve seen the Ravens take a cautious approach with J.K. Dobbins early in the season, holding him out despite him practicing all week. On Sunday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Gus Edwards is expected to be active for Week 12.
If Edwards does suit up, it seems unlikely he’ll have a significant workload. Kenyan Drake is playing well, and Baltimore can afford to ease Edwards back in. Therefore, Edwards will be a tough player to start this week. If he’s active, it will also give pause to starting Drake, just simply because Edwards could take high-leverage opportunities.
If Edwards does end up playing, the best place to have a piece of this roster is in Underdog Fantasy Best Ball leagues. Then, if one finds the end zone or breaks a big play, you can reap the rewards without carrying the risk associated with choosing them in your starting lineup.
Raheem Mostert, MIA | Knee (Out)
Update: Raheem Mostert is inactive for Week 12.
We did see Raheem Mostert return to practice on a limited basis Friday. Nevertheless, he received the doubtful tag, which often means he is trending toward being inactive. The late-week upgrade in status is a positive sign, so if any doubtful player has a chance, it could be Mostert.
MORE: Fantasy Football Cut List Week 12
Assuming he’s inactive, Jeff Wilson Jr. would be the starting back and a must-start for fantasy. Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin would likely both be active if Mostert is not, but neither should have significant fantasy value. Even if Mostert plays, Wilson should still dominate the opportunities.
Joe Mixon, CIN | Concussion (Out)
It was no real surprise to see Joe Mixon ruled out on Friday after being unable to participate all week in practice. Mixon has been in the concussion protocol, and it became pretty apparent back on Wednesday that he was fighting an uphill battle to be available.
We should see Samaje Perine as the main RB in his absence. However, Chris Evans is back healthy after missing last week, so he will likely be utilized in some capacity. Whether Perine will have the level of usage that Mixon normally has is tough to know.
Additionally, the Titans are one of the three best units against opposing backs in terms of fantasy points. Therefore, expectations should be somewhat tempered for Perine.
Mark Ingram, NO | Ankle (Questionable)
We saw Mark Ingram practice all week in a limited fashion as he tries to return from a knee injury. He heads into the weekend listed as questionable but appears to have a chance to be on the field. If active, Ingram’s fantasy value will be limited to 16-team leagues, as his role will likely be playing second-fiddle to Alvin Kamara.
Caleb Huntley, ATL | Ankle (Cleared)
Update: Caleb Huntley is active for Week 12.
After being limited all week at practice, Caleb Huntley was listed as questionable. The fantasy relevance here is minimal, as Huntley had not seen a major role over the last two weeks. His absence should open up a handful more touches for the pairing of Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson.